Fostering cultural and administrative exchange

Ainkawa to sign twinning agreement with Sterling Heights

2024-08-28 | 17:27

ERBIL — Ainkawa, a district in Erbil with a population of around 65,000, is preparing to sign a twinning agreement with Sterling Heights, a U.S. city known for its large Iraqi Christian community. The initiative, led by the Chaldean Community Foundation, aims to provide American training for Ainkawa’s administrative staff and promote cultural exchange opportunities.

Rami Nouri, the district qaymaqam of Ainkawa, told 964media that the agreement is expected to be signed soon. Launched by the Chaldean Community Foundation with the Kurdistan Regional Government’s approval, the project began with the first meeting in April.

Nouri noted that both parties have reached a “significant understanding” to ensure the agreement is meaningful rather than symbolic. Weekly online meetings between teams from both cities, with involvement from KRG’s representative office and the American Chaldean Community Foundation, have finalized all conditions and shared points.

“The agreement includes three main points, starting with sending delegations of directors and government staff from Ainkawa to Sterling Heights for training on advanced administrative techniques,” Nouri explained. It also includes dispatching groups of young men and women for leadership development and facilitating cultural and heritage exchanges through delegation visits.

The agreement has been approved by the Erbil Governorate and the KRG’s Department of Foreign Relations and was ratified by the Sterling Heights City Council on Aug. 20. The final signature to formalize the agreement is expected soon.

Ghazwan Elias, Director of the Iraq Office of the Chaldean Community Foundation, highlighted that the effort to twin Ainkawa with Sterling Heights began after the district official’s recent visit to America. He emphasized that the agreement, aimed at enhancing cooperation in cultural and economic fields, will be signed shortly in the presence of KRG representatives. “Sterling Heights is home to a significant population of Iraqi Chaldean immigrants,” Elias added.

Ainkawa, located in the northern part of Erbil, is a predominantly Christian area and a key center for Iraq’s Christian community. With a population of approximately 65,000, it is primarily inhabited by Chaldean Catholics, Assyrians, and Syriac Orthodox Christians. The town serves as a cultural and religious hub, featuring several churches, religious institutions, and cultural centers, and is home to many Christians who fled violence in other parts of Iraq, such as Mosul and the Nineveh Plains.